Is Your Female Co-Worker Flirting?

time for your orals

In order to really know if your co-worker is flirting or not, it's best to combine her body language with what she says to you, and how she acts toward you overall.

On a professional basis... There could be flirting signals where you least expected.

She singles out your reports If she's your superior and she always uses you as the perfect example during morning meetings, you can rejoice in the fact that she thinks of you as an exemplary employee. But if you're both equals and work on the same team, and she refers to your reports in particular, she could be sending out a sign and hoping you'll take notice.

She takes detours You're noticing more and more that she makes a point of passing by your desk, no matter where she's going. Say your workstation is the one closest to the water cooler; is she filling up her glass 10 times a day, and then passing you again on her way to the ladies' room? Either she's interested or always eats Mexican food for lunch.

You develop an e-mail relationship E-mail can be very deceiving, but it can also be a great flirting tool, since you're likely to write things you wouldn't say in person. However, it is a double-edged sword as it can be misleading, especially if you read her cute emoticons as declarations of affection.

On the social front...

You take breaks together Work breaks can become a great way to bond with co-workers, even if it's for a short period of time. Getting a cup of coffee together can even become a ritual, but you'll have to distinguish between friendliness and flirting.

If she always makes an effort to come get you for coffee or a fresh-air break, or e-mails you to announce that it's break time, she could be making an effort to spend more time with you. This is especially so when it becomes a ritual, to the point that you feel you have to apologize if you can't go because you have a deadline to meet.

You go for lunch together The same goes for lunch breaks. If she initiates going for lunch together often — even if it consists of sitting at the office together, eating and chatting — then it is possible that she's flirting.

But be careful: if your lunch breaks become replacements for actual dates, she could just be looking for another friend. If you want to stand a chance with your hot co-worker, do not mistake the lunch routine for dates, and never, I repeat never, discuss personal things and give her advice during those lunches, unless you want to become her token office buddy.

You get together after work Again, if she asks you to go to the local happy hour after work, there's a big chance that she wants to get to know you better... unless she wants to chat about how to deal with her insecure boyfriend.